Implementation of Urgent Recommendations of the Management Plans for Key Biodiversity Areas in Belarus

Project Title :

Management Plans for Key Biodiveristy Sites in Belarusian Polesie

Organisation :

UNDP Belarus

Partner(s) :

APB-BirdLife Belarus (implementing partner); co-funders: Darwin Foundation (UK), Michael Otto Foundation (Germany), Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (UK)

Region :

Belarusian Polesie - wetlands Sporovo, Dikoe and Zvanets

Project Number :

11736

Duration :

2002-2006

Financing (US$) :

US$ 399,898

Status :

Completed

URL :

TYPE URL HERE

Description :

The project has laid the foundation for securing conservation and sustainable management of Polesie biodiversity through assistance to the Government of Belarus and National NGO APB-BirdLife Belarus in implementation of integrated management plans for key wetland protected sites, and facilitation of better coordination of various stakeholders involved in management and conservation of natural resources.

The project provided on-site investments for hydrotechnical works in three key biodiversity sites in Belarusian Polesie region (nature reserves Dikoie, Sporovo, Zvanets) to minimize human impact on and prevent degradation of these close-to-natural wetland ecosystems. The management plans for the three sites have identified favorable water regime as a key prerequisite for sustaining these ecosystems. Specific actions included construction of weirs and dams on drainage canals across the sites, revision in a participatory manner of operational guidelines for the drainage facilities operating around the sites. Particular emphasis was given to establishing local administrations for the sites (Belarusian legislation doesn't require this type of nature protected areas to have management entities), providing the Ministry of Environment with valuable experience for expanding this practice to other protected areas across Belarus.

Lessons Learned :

• Community outreach and awareness raising – regular contacts and communication with the local community (thru meetings at schools, rural councils, church services) have been key to improving the locals' acceptance of volunteering in project activities.

• On-site hydrological surveys and ongoing monitoring – hydrological calculations used by the project were based on the available data and limited project field surveys, which brought about the need to modify several overflow weirs in order to achieve the intended hydrological impact on the sites. At the same time, ongoing hydrological monitoring enabled the project team to spot the diversion from the plans early on and take necessary response actions.

• Integration of protected area management units into the national system early on – the project faced certain difficulties in having the newly established administrations of the two reserves fully incorporated into the national protected area framework. The Ministry of Environment took until project end to make a final decision and initiate necessary re-arrangements.

Contact :

Dmitry Goloubovsky (dmitry.goloubovsky@undp.org), UNDP Belarus